A Red Rose in Winter
by Saria-the-green-haired
Summary: A powerful enemy from the past is back: what's everyone going to do, since he's apparently bent on killing Yami? SetoxYami, blood, gore, angst. Discontinued
1. Chapter One

Warnings: Yaoi, blood, and gore, so leave if you don't like. Or you can flame me if you wish. ^^ Just use proper grammar and spelling if you do, please. And probably OOC, but then, isn't it always OOC because we don't know exactly how the characters would act? Oh yeah, also memories, stuff, and magic pulled out of my butt….and creative liberties taken with the whole reincarnation thing…  
  
Pairings: SetoxYami  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. No way, no how. It'd be nice if it was mine though….  
  
Notes: My first try at a Yu-gi-oh fic…wonder if it'll be as bad as I think it is? :mutters: Probably…-_- Anyways…my muse latched on to this idea after seeing one of the cutest SetoxYami pics out there…then the more morbid part of my brain decided to make what was originally going to be a fluffy fic into a dark gory thing…lovely, ain't it? ^^;;; And for most of this fic, Yami and Yuugi will be separate from each other…  
  
One last thing:  
  
/…/ is Yuugi thought-speaking with Yami  
  
//…// is Yami thought-speaking with Yuugi  
  
… is someone talking in Ancient Egyptian or someone talking inside someone's head besides Yami and Yuugi  
  
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1  
  
2 A Red Rose in Winter  
  
~* Chapter One *~  
  
Seto Kaiba walked down the street, paying no attention to the buildings on either side of him. It was a cold, windy winter afternoon and his thoughts were centered on one red-eyed Game King. For reasons that he could not quite explain, he found himself liking the King of Games more and more, maybe even loving him. (Saria: By the way…part of my brain has decided that Seto is actually sorta nice and just misunderstood, and not a creepyobsessive psychotic rapist person. Don't ask…just thought you people might want to know…) Ever since he had found out that Yuugi Mutou and the King of Games were different people, he had discovered that he could not get the Game King out of his mind. True, Yami had a body to die for, and those brilliantly exotic ruby eyes, but Yuugi's eyes were just as exotic, if not more so, but there was something different about Yami that Seto found fascinating. It was the darkness and the air of power around him, it was the way he walked: gracefully with complete confidence, it was the way he made every movement sensuous and alluring…and now he was waxing poetic like a lovesick teenager. Great. (Saria: Not that he isn't lovesick or a teenager….but we'll let him have his delusions for a little while longer, no? ^.~)  
  
As he rounded a corner, he bumped into someone and staggered back. Looking down, he opened his mouth to say something mean and stopped as his eyes met a pair of garnet ones. When his brain, which had decided to take a vacation, caught up with the rest of him, he realized Yami was carrying a large bag of….groceries? Seizing the chance, Seto smirked and drawled lazily.  
  
"I never thought I'd see the great Game King going grocery shopping. Tell me, when is the world ending? (Saria: :is resisting the urge to make an X 1999 comment: )" Yami shot him a venomous look.  
  
"Shut up, Kaiba." He snapped as he continued walking. Undaunted, Seto stood in front of Yami, blocking his way.  
  
"Just out of curiosity, why are you carrying a bag of groceries?" Yami glared at the (unfortunately) taller boy.  
  
"It's none of your business, Kaiba." He answered curtly. In truth, the only reason that he was out here was because his Aibou had been spending time with his friends when his mother had asked him to go to the grocery store, and his Aibou hadn't really wanted to go. Knowing this, Yami had volunteered himself, and here he was. Yami shivered as he realized how cold it was outside, and struck by a sudden impulse, Seto reached out and adjusted the white scarf wrapped around the pale neck. As he drew away, his hands lingered unintentionally (or was it intentionally?) on Yami's face. Yami blinked and tried to glare at him but he was too surprised to manage anything worse than a startled look. Seto cleared his throat awkwardly.  
  
"Your scarf was falling off…" Yami started to say something, then sneezed in the middle of a word.  
  
Seto realized that Yami was wearing nothing but the thin school uniform and again, before he could think the thought through, Seto took off his jacket (Saria: Or, rather, his cape jacket thing….) and draped it across the shorter boy's shoulders. Yami ducked his head quickly, but not before Seto saw the sudden splash of red on his cheeks. Inside, he was grinning as he spoke. "You should wear more, Yami. This isn't Egypt, after all." When Yami swung his head up sharply to look Seto full in the face, there was nothing on his face or in his eyes but anger and the smallest hint of pain.  
  
"I know that, Kaiba." He said angrily as he pushed past Seto and stalked down the street. To think he had actually thought that Seto was being nice for once! It still hurt that he couldn't remember anything from his past except the smallest, most impersonal of things. And it hurt that Seto saw him as nothing but an opponent to defeat. His thoughts were abruptly derailed as he noticed that Seto was now following him. He turned around. "What do you think you're doing, Kaiba?" he demanded irritably. Seto merely smirked and replied calmly.  
  
"Following you, of course. You are wearing my jacket, you know."  
  
"I know I am, but that doesn't mean you have to shadow me! I can just take it back to you after I get home or something, now leave me alone!" Yami snapped crossly.  
  
"I'm wounded, Yami, I really am. You mean to say that you don't enjoy my company?" he said in a mock hurt voice. "I'm coming anyways." He added, then shut his mouth on his next sentence when Yami shot him a look that clearly said the only reason he didn't have his head through a wall was because Yami's hands were full, but if he didn't shut up soon, Yami would do it anyways. The rest of the walk was spent in silence.  
  
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"Tadaima!" Yami called after he awkwardly balanced the bag of groceries in one hand and managed to open the door, paying no attention to his taller second shadow. He placed the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter, than headed upstairs to his Aibou's room, ignoring Seto. He opened the door and Seto mentally assessed the situation. Yuugi was sitting on the bed, watching Jounochi and Anzu duel, and Honda was seated at the desk, also watching, and Bakura was sitting cross-legged on the floor next to Jounochi. Jounochi seemed to be losing. Badly. Inwardly, Seto smirked. Jounochi was still no good at dueling, it seemed. Everyone looked up as they entered the room, and they were greeted with five dumbstruck faces, wait, make that four as Yuugi leapt off the bed and gave Yami a hug.  
  
"You're back!" he beamed and Seto suppressed a growl as Yami smiled fondly at Yuugi. "Hi, Seto!" Yuugi smiled as he greeted Seto, never pausing to wonder why he was here. Of the three, Anzu was the first to collect her wits enough to speak.  
  
"Ano, Yami, why're you wearing Seto-san's jacket?" Yami blanched slightly as he realized that he was indeed still wearing the too-big jacket. Everyone looked expectantly at Yami for an answer. He coughed and stared at the floor, shuffling his feet and turning red. As adorable as Yami looked when he was embarrassed, Seto decided to say something before everyone else died of old age.  
  
"I bumped into Yami and he looked cold, so I gave him my jacket." Seto explained smoothly. "Just like a true gentleman…" Anzu smiled and murmured softly, her amusement growing as Yami shot her a pained look at the remark. For a while now, Anzu had suspected that Seto and Yami liked each other as more than opponents, and this latest situation only cemented the idea. Personally, she thought they'd make a pretty good match, and she believed that Seto wasn't as bad a person as he had first appeared to be. That didn't mean she trusted him entirely, but she didn't exactly hate him like Jounochi did. She grinned to herself. Maybe she could use this opportunity to give them a little push…she smiled brightly and waved at Seto and Yami. "Come on in and sit down!" she shot Jounochi, who had recovered and was opening his mouth, (no doubt for a scathing remark) a warning look that advised silence for his continued health and well-being. For once, Jounochi listened to her and kept his mouth shut, thus keeping the peace. Yami shook his head smilingly, then stopped as the world began to sway. He thought he heard a faint voice, then shook his head slightly as the world stopped moving, glancing around the room. Luckily, no one had noticed.  
  
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An hour later, Seto took his leave of them. An hour and a half later, Yami realized belatedly that he was still wearing Seto's jacket. The others looked up, startled, as Yami began banging his head against the wall.  
  
"Yami, why're you doing that? Doesn't it hurt?" Yuugi blinked innocently as he asked. Yami sighed and walked out the door, muttering decidedly unflattering things about a certain Seto Kaiba, calling out that he'd be right back. Everyone blinked, then Anzu smiled and said that she was sure that everything was fine, so they all went back to what they were doing.  
  
When Seto opened his front door, he was pleasantly surprised to see Yami standing there. He smiled lazily.  
  
"To what do I owe the honor of this visit?" he asked. Yami shot him a Look and shoved his jacket at him with a muttered "thank you." "What, you mean you came over just to return my jacket? I'm so happy! Are you sure you didn't have another reason for coming over? Maybe to see me again? Or to hear the melodious sound of my voice? (Saria: I'm a Calvin and Hobbes fan, so sue me…)" Yami shot him a poisonous look.  
  
"Quite sure that's the only reason." He replied dryly, then turned to go home. He gasped as the world tilted suddenly, then started to spin at an alarming rate. He let out a cry as he felt a piercing agony in his chest. Then there was darkness enveloping him in its deadly embrace, and he was falling…falling…falling…and he felt no more as he collapsed into oblivion.  
  
To be continued…  
  
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Saria: So that's the first chapter…and the last of the fluffiness…-_-;;; Next chapter begins the blood, gore, and probably angst. Review and tell me what you think! Should I continue, or is this that horrible? And feel free to flame, people. :grins: But please read this chapter first and flame on something other than the fact that it's yaoi… My e-mail address is kawaiirebel11@yahoo.com …send me an e-mail if you wish. ^^ 


	2. Chapter Two

Warnings: Yaoi, blood, gore, angst. Gratuitous amounts of the last three in this chapter. You have been warned. (I hope) Memories, magic, and various…things…pulled out of my ass…^^;;; And again, creative liberties taken with the reincarnation thing…and unnecessary angst for Yami….0=) And Seto's a bit of a potty mouth later…  
  
Pairings: SetoxYami, and whatever else my muse decides to insist I put in…  
  
Disclaimer: Honestly, people, do you really think I own Yu-gi-oh? If I did, there'd be yaoi (or at the very least, shounen-ai) everywhere. As in Everywhere. But for now, I'm content to be a fangirl…^^  
  
Notes: Second chapter. The start of the plot (gasp), the angst, and the carnage. Yay.  
  
/…/ is Yuugi thought-speaking with Yami  
  
//…// is Yami thought-speaking with Yuugi  
  
… is someone talking in Ancient Egyptian or someone talking inside someone's head besides Yami and Yuugi. In memories, dialogue will be in quotation marks, regardless of the language…  
  
And thank you to the reviewers! ^^ I still think it's horrible by the way…but many thank yous to Jadej.j, Ians-Koibito, good () [o.O], Miss Sera, and Yamato795! ^_^ Is this soon enough, by the way? ^^;;;  
  
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1 A Red Rose in Winter  
  
~* Chapter Two *~  
  
Seto stared blankly at the prone figure on his doorstep, sighed, and knelt down. Gently, he reached out a hand and shook Yami lightly. No response. Well, he was still breathing, so he was all right…he looked slightly flushed though. Seto frowned and placed his hand on Yami's forehead, then drew it back quickly. Kami, he was burning up! Well, thought Seto wryly, that answers the question of why he's unconscious. What was he going to do now? After a moment's thought, he decided not to bring Yami into his house, (Saria: One of my muses is now shrieking "Why not?!!" at Seto, and demanding rather incoherently that I continue the story another way…I think I caught the word "bondage" in there…o.O :time passes: Anyways…now that I've chased the muse halfway across the world and locked it up, I can continue the story the way it was originally planned…after the first interruption that changed the rating and contents, of course…-_-) because he didn't think Yami would be very happy to wake up in his rival's house. (Saria: My only comment to Seto is: "How do you know that?") He sighed and picked Yami up, new-bride style (Saria: Can you hear the fangirl in me go "Awwwwwww…"? ^^;), absently noting that he hardly weighed anything, then he turned and called for his butler to prep the limo.  
  
When they reached Yuugi's house, Seto awkwardly knocked on the door, nearly dropping his load. A few seconds later, he heard the pounding of feet and the door flew open, revealing Yuugi.  
  
"Yami! You're back! We were starting to get worried about yo- Yami?!!!" Yuugi stopped mid-word and stared at Seto. "What happened? Is he all right?" At the frantic tone of his voice, the others came running too. They stopped dead and almost immediately began demanding answers from Seto.  
  
"All right, Kaiba, what did you do to him?!" Jounochi demanded heatedly as he glared at Seto, who glared right back. "If you hurt him, I'll-  
  
"I didn't do anything to him, Katsuya (Jounochi's Japanese last name, to the best of my knowledge). He gave me back my jacket, then he collapsed. And what could you do to me anyways, Katsuya? You know I'm stronger than you." Seto interrupted, sneering. Before the argument could turn into a fight, Honda stepped in.  
  
"Stop it, you two! Now isn't the time to be arguing. Kaiba, come inside and we can discuss what happened in Yuugi's room." Jounochi relented with obvious reluctance and one last glare at Seto. Seto rolled his eyes inwardly and stepped past everyone and walked upstairs, with Yuugi trailing worriedly behind him. When they were all assembled in Yuugi's room, Bakura spoke.  
  
"Why don't you put Yami on the bed, Kaiba-san?" he asked politely.  
  
"Then you can leave, Kaiba." Jounochi said hostilely, then winced as Anzu ground her heel into his foot.  
  
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Gradually, in the darkness, Yami became aware of faint voices around him, faint voices that sounded somehow familiar…who were they? He had to know, but he couldn't seem to move….then, his eyes opened and a strange scene met his eyes. He was floating in what appeared to be nowhere, and he was wearing Egyptian clothes that seemed to feel right…right but odd. And the voices had stopped…where was he? As he looked around, bewildered, a voice spoke. Little pharaoh, you remember nothing? This puts a damper on my plans because I want to hear you scream, but, no matter…it is easily fixed. Go, relive your past! Relive it so I can finally take what is mine… Startled, Yami tried to locate the owner of the voice, then found himself spiraling into a wall of blue light that enveloped him and suddenly became water, trying to pull him into its sparkling blue depths. He thrashed around frantically, then a hand snatched him out of the water and dropped him unceremoniously on dry sand, where he lay coughing. He tried to turn and see his rescuer, but found that he couldn't move a muscle.  
  
"Trying to swim, were we, little prince? You should know better than to sneak out like that…you could have drowned! You're just like your father was at this age, always getting into trouble." suddenly, against his will, Yami climbed to his feet and found himself facing a stern-faced woman with long black hair and laughing red eyes. Before he had collected his scattered thoughts, he felt himself open his mouth.  
  
"I wasn't getting into trouble, mama! I saw a fish in the water, and I leaned over to watch it swim!" he heard himself say. What was going on? As he furiously tried to make himself move, the woman smiled and spoke again, chuckling.  
  
"And then you fell in the water, right? Interesting, my son…come! We need to get you changed into dry clothes." She took him by the hand and began dragging him to an elegant castle that looked incredibly familiar. Suddenly, comprehension dawned on Yami as to what the voice had meant. He was reliving his past, but with no say in what he did. Resigning himself to being a prisoner in his own body, Yami let himself be dragged by his mother.  
  
And so, Yami began to experience his past again, learning politics with his father, a kindly, tall man. Learning to read and write among other subjects with many scholars, who treated him not unkindly but with firmness. And his favorite, learning how to play the Shadow Games with his father.  
  
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Jounochi glared at Seto. "I mean, I'm grateful that you brought Yami to us, but you don't have to stay, you know." Seto smirked.  
  
"On the contrary, I think I'll stay, since you enjoy my company so much, Katsuya." He said. And to make sure that Yami's all right, he added mentally as he gently placed Yami on the bed and stepped away. Yami looked peaceful, and if it weren't for the faint sheen of sweat on his forehead, Seto would have sworn that he was sleeping.  
  
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"I'm off!" Yami's father called as he stood in front of the palace, ready to leave on a trip to various provinces. "I'll be back in about a week." As he watched his father turn to leave, a terrible, sinking feeling gripped Yami and he dashed forward, clinging to his father's legs.  
  
"Don't go, papa!" he cried.  
  
His father ruffled his hair affectionately and chuckled. "Didn't we already have this conversation before? You know I have to go…I'll be back before you know it. Now let go of me so I can leave, please. The sooner I go, the sooner I get back." Yami shook his head stubbornly, tightening his grip, bile rising in his throat at the thought of his father leaving.  
  
"You can't go, papa! Please? Not yet…" he stared pleadingly at his father, eyes wide. His father sighed and smiled ruefully.  
  
"All right, then. I'll leave three days later then, is that all right, your majesty?" Almost immediately, Yami felt better, and he smiled and nodded his head, purposefully ignoring any sarcasm on his father's part.  
  
Two days later, his father burst into the room while he was reciting his lessons to his mother.  
  
"A message just came in, do you know what it said?" Both of them stared at him in silence. "Of course you don't, I haven't told you yet. Yesterday there was a huge fire that killed hundreds of people." More silence. "In the province that I would have been visiting yesterday, if I had left." Yami's mother gasped and turned white.  
  
"So, if you had gone…you would be dead right now?"  
  
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Yami's face contorted suddenly, and he began thrashing around. Honda blinked as he heard what Yami was whispering brokenly and turned to Jounochi. "Can you understand him?"  
  
Jounochi shrugged. "Sounds like gibberish to me…" Both Anzu and Yuugi agreed with Jounochi, then they noticed that Seto and Bakura were staring at Yami, shock written plainly on their faces.  
  
No…papa! What's wrong with you? Please…get better soon…papa! Papa! You can't leave…you promised you wouldn't! Get better soon, papa…make mama stop crying…papa! Wake up, papa! Papa! Say something…anything! PAPA!  
  
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Yami stared blankly at his father's pale and sickly face. Next to him, his mother was weeping, endless tears streaming down her face. His father was ill, and even though the physicians said that he was getting better, everyone knew it was a lie. He wouldn't cry anymore, couldn't cry, he had no more tears left in him. He had to be strong for his mother.  
  
After his father's death, he threw himself heart and soul into the Shadow Games, training with more fervor than before, preparing himself for the trials that were to come. And it paid off, as he became the next pharaoh of Lower Egypt. But even being pharaoh could not save his mother from wasting away after the death of her beloved husband. When she died, he wept for a full day and night.  
  
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"I'm gonna see if Yami's all right…" Yuugi said with a worried look on his face as he disappeared into his soul room. He threw the door open and ran towards Yami's soul room, then stopped dead. Across the door of Yami's soul room were strands of sticky, glistening rope that reminded Yuugi strongly of a spider's web. As he walked closer, he became aware of a dripping sound. He looked up at the ceiling and gasped, the area around Yami's room was dripping with a red liquid, and Yuugi had a feeling that he knew exactly what the liquid was. As he watched in horror, the web around Yami's door slowly turned dark red. Cautiously, he reached out with a trembling hand towards the door, but before he touched the door, he drew back. There was a feeling of evil and hate around the door, and he didn't think that touching the door would help. Sighing, he returned to his soul room and came back out, telling everyone what he had seen. "…and best as I can tell, Yami's still asleep inside…" he finished, with a troubled expression on his face.  
  
"This isn't natural…maybe we should wake Yami up…" Honda said thoughtfully. Everyone shrugged and he gently shook Yami, who was no longer thrashing about, and was loosely curled up. No response. Honda shook him harder and he gave a small cry.  
  
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Yami blinked as he found himself back in his soul room. He reflected that it was rather odd to see and feel yourself die, but then still be alive. Shrugging, he walked towards the door of his soul room, willing it to open as he usually did. When it didn't, he frowned and grabbed the handle. Power coursed through him, and with a cry of pain, he was flung into the air and he landed on the ground with a thud.  
  
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Yuugi blinked. "Yami's awake," he informed the others. "I think so at leas-ah!" he winced as pain shot through his body. Ignoring the worried looks, he ran to Yami's soul room.  
  
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Grimacing, Yami climbed to his feet. Gingerly, he touched the door. When nothing happened, he grasped the handle lightly and pulled. The door didn't move. He pulled harder, still nothing. He was stuck. A sudden fear gripped him. What if his Aibou was in danger? He couldn't help him like this! Panicked, he began pounding on the door frantically. "Let me out!" He screamed and pounded until his throat was raw and his hands bled, but to no avail.  
  
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White-faced, Yuugi returned. "Yami's awake, but he's trapped. He's screaming and banging on the door…it's awful."  
  
"Oh, God. You guys, look at this." Jounochi looked visibly disturbed as he pointed at Yami. There was an expression of panic on Yami's face, and his hands were clenched tightly into fists, crimson rivulets of blood rolling off them. Anzu hurriedly grabbed water and bandages, then began cleaning off his hands.  
  
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Tired and spent, Yami slowly stepped away from the blood-stained door. He needed to get out of here! As he wracked his brain for ideas, he never noticed the colors in the room gradually dimming and fading until he was standing in a room of black and white. Then, gradually, the white too began to fade, and soon he was left in a world of nothingness, darkness all around him. Terror gripped Yami, as he recalled the millennia he had spent trapped inside the Puzzle, all alone, with nothing but himself for company. Did this mean that his Aibou had taken off the Puzzle? That he didn't want him anymore? Slowly, he sank to his knees and began to sob.  
  
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In the real world, the others stared at Yami's tear-streaked face and wondered. As Seto stared, cursing his helplessness, he thought he felt something in the back of his mind, something that barely eluded his grasp as he searched for it. Something that he was sure could help him. Mentally cursing, he reached out even more determinedly than before and managed to grab the something, the memory? No matter what it was, he could figure that out later. But it could help now. "Do you have something of Yami's I could use?" he asked Yuugi, who blinked and asked why. "Because if I have something of Yami's, I think I might be able to help him. An amused voice that Bakura had hoped he would never hear again spoke up in the recesses of his mind. He's actually going to try that spell? Either he's more stupid than I thought he was (and that would take something, too), or he's seriously head over heels for the other pharaoh. Just like before. Yami Bakura added in a slightly disgusted tone of voice. What spell?! Bakura demanded, but his Yami merely laughed slightly and said, You'll see. in a satisfied tone of voice.  
  
"Kaiba-san, what are you planning to do?" Bakura asked in a slightly frantic tone of voice. "If it's something dangerous…"  
  
"It's something that might help, and right now, what other options do we have?" Seto asked, and received no reply. "I thought as much. Don't bother me unless it's an absolute emergency." With those words, he grabbed the amulet Yuugi wordlessly handed him and knelt down next to the bed. Slowly and softly, he began to chant, and gradually he slipped Within Yami. (Saria: So I read too many Tokyo Babylon/ X 1999 fics, you got a problem with that? ^^;;;)  
  
To say that it was disturbing Within Yami would be putting things lightly. It was stifling hot as Seto trudged through the desert, looking for Yami. There were palm trees that dripped blood, and ponds and rivers of tears, as Seto discovered after he tried to drink from an oasis. "Cheerful, welcoming place, isn't it?" he muttered to himself after nearly getting killed by vines when he nearly crushed a rosebush that, oddly enough, had a single rosebud on it. He searched for what seemed like hours but could find no trace of the red-eyed boy, or of any other living thing besides the homicidal plants. Just as he was getting the sneaking suspicion that he was walking around in circles because he could have sworn he had seen the patch of killer plants again, he came across something that made him stop and seriously doubt Yami's mental well-being. "Why is there a sarcophagus floating in the middle of nowhere?" he asked himself, then realized that it was probably a symbolic representation of Yami's mind or soul or something. Which didn't really help, because who thought of themselves as dead? Besides someone who was already dead but wasn't really dead, not technically, of course… (Saria: This is why me trying to write a fanfic after writing an essay for my crazy English teacher is not a good idea, because then I start writing oddly…o.O) He stepped forward and placed his hand on the sarcophagus, fully intending to open it. Understandably then, he was puzzled when his hand passed straight through the elaborate coffin. Seto drew his hand back and was about to start swearing when the lid of the sarcophagus opened by itself. A ball of dark light (Saria: Which is an oxymoron, technically, but a cool one…) shot out and wrapped around Seto, who struggled furiously.  
  
Congratulations on getting this far, pharaoh. But this is as close as you get! I will let no one interrupt my plans this time. No one~! Not even you, pharaoh of the dragons. The pharaoh of darkness is mine. Be gone! An angry voice boomed, and Seto was thrown back into his own body. Reeling back, he found that he was in front of Yuugi's desk, and that his head was significantly less used to being hit than the desk. Wincing and rubbing his head, he turned and faced the group. "This is not good."  
  
"You think?" Jounochi asked sarcastically. "What happened?" Seto opened his mouth for a biting remark, then shut it abruptly when he realized that he had a killer headache and that his limbs felt like jelly.  
  
"Daijoubu, Kaiba-san?" Bakura queried apprehensively.  
  
"Hai, hai." Seto snapped a minute later, when his limbs felt slightly more solid and he could push himself to his feet and stay there. "We have a serious problem an-what's that smell?" he wrinkled his nose. It was disgusting, but something in it smelled familiar.  
  
"What smell?" Honda asked, and Yuugi, Anzu, and Jounochi shrugged. "Are you sure you're all right, Kaiba? Maybe you're imagining things…"  
  
"Iie, I smell it too…I can't quite place it though." Bakura said quietly.  
  
"I think it's coming from downstairs…" Seto said. He turned and walked out of the room and down the stairs, into the living room, where he stopped dead. Bakura, who was right behind him, turned faintly green and rushed to the bathroom, where violent retching noises could be heard. The living room had, apparently, been the site of a massacre. There were corpses everywhere, of men, women, and children. They lay everywhere, most missing at least one body part. Suddenly, Seto realized what in the stench of the dead and rotting bodies had smelled familiar: blood. The coppery tang of the red life-substance that was sickeningly recognizable. Seto frowned, something about the scene struck a chord in his memory, but there was still something missing…he was still thinking when he heard the crackling of flames. His head shot up. Behind the furthest bodies, a wall of fire was moving steadily towards him and Bakura, who had returned, shaking. Slowly, the others joined them.  
  
"Why aren't you guys moving? There's nothing here…" Yuugi said, looking at them. Seto turned and looked at him.  
  
"What do you mean? Can't you see it?" Yuugi shook his head, along with Jounochi, Honda, and Anzu. Before Seto or Bakura could say anything, the same voice that Seto had heard Within Yami spoke again, and the bodies and the fire disappeared.  
  
Do you like my little illusion? It's rather good, if I do say so myself. Why so silent, both of you? Don't you remember this? The slaughter of those people in Upper Egypt was rather delightful and was brilliantly planned by myself, of course. Their screams and panic…but I digress. Know this, pharaoh of dragons and vessel of the ring: if you attempt to rescue what is rightfully mine, the same will happen to you! The pharaoh is mine!  
  
Seto's eyes narrowed as a scattered memory of a time when he lived in a warm place arose. "So it was him." He hissed.  
  
Anzu blinked. "What was who, Seto-san? What was that voice saying? And what happened when you did that weird chanting?" After Seto and Bakura finished retelling and translating the events, there was a moment of stunned silence, broken by a small voice.  
  
"So what do we do?" Yuugi asked, eyes wide. "We can't just leave Yami…right?"  
  
"Of course we won't." Seto said, "and when we find whoever it is, I'm going to kick his ass!"  
  
"Why're you so angry anyways, Kaiba?" Jounochi asked.  
  
"Because the illusion he showed us was the massacre of some of my people when I was pharaoh. I swore to avenge them, but I never found out who it was. Until now." Seto said coldly, then frowned as the voice that had been insistently calling his name spoke again. Seto? "What is it?!!" The others blinked at him. "Who's calling my nam-hang on…" Seto muttered. Who are you and why are you in my head? he demanded irritably.  
  
So you can hear me after all…you should rest, student of mine. the voice said gently.  
  
That's nice that I can hear you, now who are you?!!! Seto asked.  
  
For now, all I will tell you, my pupil, is that I am a friend.  
  
"Great," Seto said. "Just great." At everyone's bewildered looks, he waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing. I should be leaving now, it's late. Ja." He left, knowing that he was being rude, but not really caring at the moment. He wanted answers, damnit! Before he was out the door, Jounochi spoke up hesitantly.  
  
"Be careful, Kaiba." When everyone looked at him strangely, Jounochi bristled slightly. "Because you and Bakura seem to know the most about this, so where would we be if you got yourself killed or something? "  
  
Seto smirked as he called back. "I love you too, Katsuya."  
  
**************************************************************************** ***  
  
After he was home and inside his own room, Seto confronted the voice. All right, level with me. Who the hell are you?!!  
  
The voice gave a mental sigh. As impatient as ever…very well, I will tell you. I was your mentor, your teacher. I taught you all the magic you know, back when I was alive. Now, I am nothing more than a spirit.  
  
That's wonderful, Seto replied. But I don't remember who you are, and why now of all times?  
  
You will remember who I am in due time, my pharaoh. But as for your question, I chose to contact you because I can help you save your beloved. That is what you want, is it not?  
  
I guess… Seto said, slightly unnerved at the use of the word "beloved." How can you help? Besides reteaching me spells, of course…do you know how to defeat this guy? His teacher was silent for a long while before he spoke again.  
  
I know how, but I cannot tell you. That is something you must figure out on your own. My clue to saving your beloved is this: Roses are hard to find in the desert, and harder still to find in the winter. But the rarest and most beautiful red desert rose can be found in the land of loneliness and contradictions. That is all I have to say.  
  
Nani? Hey! Wait! What's that supposed to mean?!! Seto yelled, but there was no answer.  
  
To be continued…  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Saria: Well, that was lovely…I hate some of those parts but I can't think of a way to revise them…and I'm getting writer's block…. Suggestions, anyone? 


	3. Chapter Three

Warnings: Yaoi (obviously, though, not that much), confusion, Yami Bakura acting weird (he decided he wanted more of a part…don't ask. -_-), probable OOC, blood, gore, and angst. Numerous things pulled out of my ass…and general oddness…though, this chapter might not have all of those things…  
  
Pairings: SetoxYami, if you didn't know that by now…I don't know what to do…  
  
Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Yu-gi-oh. Though, as soon as I find a genie… :evil grin as the Yu-gi-oh cast looks scared: But, as that's not likely to happen…  
  
Notes: Third chapter. Weirdness.  
  
/…/ is Yuugi thought-speaking with Yami  
  
//…// is Yami thought-speaking with Yuugi  
  
… is someone talking in Ancient Egyptian or someone talking inside someone's head besides Yami and Yuugi. In memories, dialogue will be in quotation marks, regardless of the language…(though, there won't be many memories in this chapter…)  
  
This story, which started out Yami-centered, is rapidly turning into a Seto- centric story…I'm going to throttle that Seto loving muse…-_-  
  
I love the reviewers!! ^^ Thanks to Paige_Prudence, Jadej.j, Yamato795, and Ians-Koibito (the homicidal plants came out of nowhere, but I like 'em…^^) for making me feel good.  
  
--NC--: I'm not entirely sure what Yami Bakura's deal is…he demanded a major part…so I indulged him a bit…but we'll see how long that lasts if he keeps torturing poor Bakura! :looks pointedly at Yami Bakura:  
  
Rylan: :blinks: I've got a literary style? Hmm…wonder if that's why my English teacher likes my essays…even though I ramble…^^; And I tend to make some people terribly sarcastic…just because…and I *so* knew that "Katusya" was Jounochi's first name…^^; He's usually referred to as "Jounochi," so whatever…thank you for the lovely tidbit of info! =)  
  
Diartemis: Thanks for the help! I started writing another fic that is making Yami deathglare me at every possible moment (Can anyone say "Ranma," leather, and somewhat-involuntary dates?)…:smirks: It probably won't be posted soon…not until this one is finished though…I hope…because if I do another multi-chapter, I'll completely lose this idea…-_- My brain can't do multi-tasking like that…Which means my brain is at war with my muses…*ahem*…^^;  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A Red Rose in Winter  
  
~* Chapter Three *~  
  
When Seto finally slept, late that night, still puzzling over the riddle he had received, his dreams were filled with blood, terrified screaming, overwhelming fear, panic, burning flames, pain, and a pair of hauntingly familiar crimson eyes that were shimmering with a multitude of emotions. Needless to say, he didn't sleep well, so he was understandably cranky when a knock came at his door early the next morning.  
  
Groaning, he rolled over. "If that's you, Mokuba, it's too early…go back to sleep." There was no reply and he was dozing off again when someone knocked again. "Who is it?" he asked crabbily. A pause, then his butler spoke up timidly.  
  
"Many apologies for disturbing you this early, master Kaiba, but there are people here to see you. They insist upon seeing you immediately." Seto sighed as he extricated himself from his nice comfortable bed. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew who was at the door, and he was going to give them a piece of his mind…when his brain was functioning correctly, that is.  
  
Downstairs, the rest of the gang was fidgeting restlessly in the entrance hall.  
  
Jounochi looked up the staircase. "What's taking that butler so long?!" He continued to rant as he began pacing back and forth and Anzu was seriously thinking of doing him some bodily harm so that he would stay still when they heard footsteps. Everyone's head shot up and they stared as Seto walked down the steps. His eyes were bloodshot and his clothes were wrinkled. Yuugi opened his mouth to ask Seto if he was all right, then shut it when Seto turned and walked right by them, going through an open doorway as though he was sleepwalking. Mystified, they followed him quietly into the kitchen/dining room and saw him pour a large cup of what appeared to be steaming black coffee. They all promptly face faulted and/or fell down when they saw him toss the whole cup back in one gulp. He went through four more cups this way, before slowing down marginally on his sixth cup. When he finally stopped and turned around, the others had managed, for the most part, to get their bearings. Before any of them could say anything, however, Seto spoke.  
  
"So, are you all going to stand around gaping and leave me to wonder why you woke me up this early, or are you going to tell me sometime this century?" he asked wryly. "Though, I can probably guess why you're here…"  
  
"We were just wondering if you had any more ideas about how to help Yami- san…" Bakura said politely (Saria: As if he can speak any other way…). Seto sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"All I can tell you is a "hint" that my old teacher told me: ` Roses are hard to find in the desert, and harder still to find in the winter. But the rarest and most beautiful red desert rose can be found in the land of loneliness and contradictions.` I have no idea what it's supposed to mean…"  
  
"Well, it looks like we'll have to figure out that hint if we want to save Yami, ne?" Anzu said with forced cheerfulness. They drifted to the spacious living room and sat down to do some serious thinking.  
  
To be continued…  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Saria: :looks at what she's just written: Urgh…I hate writer's block. Sorry it's so short, but my brain absolutely refuses to focus on this idea right now…it's taking a little "vacation," so to speak. And now one of my muses wants me to write that Jusenkyo fic…-_-;;;;;;;;; Don't expect the next chapter too soon… Ideas and suggestions welcome! You can leave them in a review or in my inbox at kawaiirebel11@yahoo.com 


	4. Chapter Four

Warnings: Pretty much the same from the earlier chapters, but now including amazingly perceptive (for once) and somewhat of a smartass Yami Bakura.  
  
Pairing(s): SetoxYami, so all homophobes are advised to skedaddle.  
  
Disclaimer: Do *you* see the males of the show making out everywhere? No? Didn't think so.  
  
Notes: Fourth chapter. Short and very odd, and written very quickly (in about one day, when I finally got my rear in gear) in order to appease Masaki-sama and her boredom so she will post BL3 soon and then perhaps help me with badgering/pleading Arii-sama to update.^-^  
  
As always:  
  
/./ is Yugi thought-speaking with Yami  
  
//.// is Yami thought-speaking with Yugi  
  
. is someone talking in Ancient Egyptian or someone talking inside someone's head besides Yami and Yugi, though I'm not sure there'll be much of this in the chapter.  
  
Much love and thanks to Ice-Princess-Amber, DiXiE, BonBon'sGurl, Ians- Koibito, Yamato795, and RavensHaelo for reviewing!  
  
Oh, and apologies to anyone who read this when the spacing was all messed up.and I think the ellipses are still showing up as periods so.yeah. -_-;;;  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A Red Rose in Winter  
  
~* Chapter Three *~  
  
After reaching the living room, the group settled themselves onto the various couches and chair and sat. And thought. And thought some more. After an hour of fruitless thinking, even Yugi was beginning to despair. In the midst of racking his brain for ideas, Bakura heard a snicker in the back of his mind.  
  
And *what* is so funny, may I ask? he asked a bit peevishly. He wasn't in the best of moods to be pestered.  
  
Yami Bakura radiated amusement as he replied. I never thought that *all* of you were so moronic, I figured that at least one of you would have figured it out by now. Guess not.  
  
You mean you know what that clue means?!! Bakura asked and heard his Yami snort.  
  
Of course I do.  
  
Tell me! Now! He demanded.  
  
Maybe, since you asked so nicely. Yami Bakura replied.  
  
Bakura forced himself to be calm. Tell me. Please?  
  
Hmmm.nah, don't feel like it.  
  
WHAAAT?! You.you.  
  
Yeesh, don't blow a fuse, it's bad for your blood pressure. I'll give you a hint, how's that?  
  
It had better be a *good* hint. Bakura bit out.  
  
Would I ever give you a bad one?  
  
Yes.  
  
I'm wounded, really, I am.  
  
I'm sure you are, Bakura retorted sarcastically. Now if you don't mind, the hint?  
  
Yami Bakura gave a dramatic sigh. Oh, fine, as you wish. The clue mentions a rose, does it not? And "the land of loneliness and contradictions," right? Well, think about how our *dear* Kaiba described the landscape within the ex-pharaoh's soul and what he found there.you getting the picture now?  
  
.arrrrrgh!  
  
Everyone else in the room BLINKED as the normally peaceful Bakura stood up and began banging his head on the wall. (Saria: I warned you about the OOCness.and no suing me for Bakura-abuse! :hides:)  
  
"." went the group as they watched. After a few more minutes of head- banging, Bakura walked back to the seat that he had vacated and sat down as though nothing had happened.  
  
"Um.did something happen?" Yugi ventured timidly.  
  
Bakura smiled thinly. "Not really, but I know what the clue means now." His statement took a few seconds to sink in, but when it did, everyone jumped up and demanded to know as they crowded around poor Bakura. It took a while for everyone to settle down enough to actually hear what Bakura told them, but when they did, it took only a short time for Bakura to reveal his knowledge.  
  
"But that's so simple!" Jounochi said disbelievingly. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Of course I'm sure." Bakura said patiently. "Though, if what Kaiba- san said is true, then it might not be as easy as you think to get to the rose. After all, whoever's holding Yugi's Yami captive will probably be on guard now." Murmurs of agreement followed this thought, and a troubled frown appeared on Yugi's face.  
  
"How will we do it then?" he asked apprehensively.  
  
"Well, maybe we could." Bakura started, and everyone launched into a flurry of suggestions. Everyone, that is, except one person. Seto sat silently throughout this conversation, deep in thought for a while, before hesitantly trying to call out to his old teacher.  
  
Are you there? We kind of need help now, you know. A silence so long and profound followed his query that Seto was beginning to give up when he received a reply.  
  
I am here, and I'm well aware that you need help.  
  
Can you give it to us, then? Seto asked hopefully.  
  
His teacher sighed deeply. Yes, but it will be difficult, and you will need the assistance of your friends. Are you sure you still want my help?  
  
Look, if I wasn't sure, would I have asked?  
  
Another sigh, deeper than the last. I suppose not.all right, this is the information you need to know.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
My brain is now officially weirding me out.and is this good enough, Masaki- sama? . Expect the next chapter.not soon.unless I finish my challenge fic in the near future (and we all know the odds of that are very slim). As always, comments and criticism welcome, either in a review or sent to my inbox at kawaiirebel11@yahoo.com 


	5. Chapter Five

Warnings: Same as before, and I don't believe that there are any new warnings, so yes...although, if you dislike logic that makes only some sense (as opposed to a lot), leave now.  
  
Pairing: SetoxYami, which means YAOI. Anyone who flames because of that will be laughed at and ridiculed for their utter stupidity.  
  
Disclaimer: Yu-gi-oh is not mine.  
  
Notes: This is AU, oh yes it is. (I am also aware that I am somewhat late in mentioning that, but what the hell.) On a happier note, I THINK that I have gotten rid of my writer's block for a while, which should solve any problems for this being finished soon. Hopefully. Don't quote me, as my brain is quite unpredictable. And there is some accidental cuddling in this part, because I need cuteness to make me feel better. =D Not that the reviews didn't help, mind you. And yes, this hasn't been updated in forever because I was busy writing two other fics, which you may go read if you wish. (Shameless plugging, I know, but I want to see how many people I can traumatize in a day. ^_^ )  
  
Bluewater: About the chapters: I am attempting rather valiantly to make my chapters longer, but that usually adds about a week to the update time. Aheh.  
  
Orange juice: oo;;; Please don't cry...see, I'm updating. ^_^;;;  
  
Blueberry Shortcake: :feels happy and tingly inside: ^^  
  
Diartemis: Ideas would be very nice. :nodnod:  
  
Maria: Er, the chance is now? . .  
  
Fantasy: Interesting good or interesting bad?  
  
Majestybird: I don't plan to discontinue this story, unlike my very first one, which went bye-bye.  
  
Takefuji Yami-sama: Trust me, people are already carrying out your threat for you. . .  
  
For all the lovely reviewers, I shall try not to let this story be put on temporary hiatus. Unfortunately, my brain is trying very hard to do just that. -_-;;;  
  
And to The Incarnation Pokemon: MORE PICTURES~~~~! Please? :puppy dog eyes:  
  
And it must be noted that I was insane and hyper for most of this chapter...^_^;;; And ten points if you can spot the Harry Potter reference. XD  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~  
  
A Red Rose in Winter  
  
By Saria-the-green-haired who has nothing witty to say at this particular moment in time  
  
~* Chapter Five or how screwed up will the storyline be now that Saria's neglected it for a long time? *~  
  
You're sure this will look? Seto asked his old mentor again.  
  
I cannot guarantee that it will work; this enemy may be too strong. However, I am fairly sure that it should succeed, especially if you do it quickly enough, his mentor explained patiently.  
  
Good, Seto said, satisfied.  
  
Ordinarily, I would suggest that you get more rest first, but I fear that we do not have the time.  
  
I agree completely, Seto replied.  
  
"I see you're back with us," Jounochi remarked as Seto's eyes unglazed.  
  
"Did you think of anything?" Yugi asked worriedly before Seto could retort.  
  
"I have a plan," Seto said over his shoulder as he stood up and headed towards the door, calling for his butler along the way.  
  
"What is it?" Anzu asked.  
  
"We're running out of time, I'll explain later," Seto replied, getting into the waiting limo. "If any of you need a ride, I suggest that you get in," he said, a tad impatiently.  
  
Seeing as they had all walked or taken the subway there, everyone piled in the limo, oohing and ahing at the luxury inside. Seto muttered something uncomplimentary about them under his breath before telling his driver to go to the Turtle Game Shop.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
"So what's this plan of yours, Kaiba-kun?" Yugi asked once they were all settled down in his room again. Nothing had changed from the day before; the gaunt, trembling figure on the bed was as pale as ever.  
  
"The same as yesterday, except that I need all of you in a circle, concentrating on myself being unnoticed and bringing Yami back," Seto replied promptly as he arranged them in said formation and getting into position himself. "You especially should concentrate on bringing Yami back," he told Yugi.  
  
The shorter boy nodded, though he looked doubtful.  
  
"How will that help?" Anzu asked curiously.  
  
"It will; trust me," Seto said as he sat on the bed next to Yami and carefully lifted the prone body into a semi-sitting position. "Now start concentrating and don't talk," he said, closing his eyes and casting the spell again.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
It was dark, Yami reflected. And completely uninteresting, which is what staring at the same inky darkness for who-knows-how-long tends to be.  
  
He sighed and continued to stare whilst thinking about the memories that he had suddenly acquired and the being that had restored them. Naturally, he was rather surprised when he had an unexpected visitor.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
"All right, where was that damn bush again?" Seto muttered to himself as he trekked through the sand. "I think it was this way..."  
  
"Aha!" he cried triumphantly as he came across the aforementioned bush. "Okay, I've found the bush, now what?" he asked, then dodged hastily as a vicious green mouth full of green teeth attached to a green mass of more green mouths lunged at him. "Oh, right, the plants..."  
  
"Here's hoping," he said, hoping that he had remembered the right spell. "Die, you nasty little things!" he crowed as the large fireball (which was his aim, if anyone's wondering) burned the plants to a crisp, leaving his path free. Stepping carefully through the charred remains, he looked at the single, innocuous rose and wondered what to do next.  
  
"What the hell," he said to himself as he reached out one hand.  
  
He touched the silky petals, then blinked as he was dropped abruptly into a realm of darkness and stared at a pair of crimson orbs the same shade as the rose that he had been looking at. "That was odd," he commented.  
  
"No kidding," Yami said, getting over his shock. "What the hell are you doing here, Kaiba?"  
  
"Rescuing you," Seto replied.  
  
"WHAT?! Why?" Yami asked, dumbfounded.  
  
"Because the purple and pink fairies told me to," Seto answered promptly. "No, it's because I want to, idiot," he added.  
  
"Seto Kaiba is being somewhat nice to me...I'm hallucinating, aren't I?" Yami asked.  
  
"I don't think you are, unless I'm hallucinating with you," was Seto's reply.  
  
"That's always possible, though I doubt the purple and pink fairies are. Electric blue ones, on the other hand..."  
  
"...*anyways*," Seto said, hoping to inject some reason into the conversation and get them both out of here before whoever was keeping Yami captive noticed him and decided to interfere. Again. "We have to go."  
  
"Go where?" Yami asked. "I don't see anywhere TO go to," he said dryly, motioning to the darkness around them.  
  
"Look, we can bicker and have a completely insane conversation later," Seto said. "But right now, we really need to get going. Unless you'd rather stay here for eternity, that is."  
  
"Knock yourself out," Yami said.  
  
"I probably will," Seto muttered, recalling how weak he had felt last time.  
  
"What was that?" Yami asked.  
  
"Nothing," Seto said before grabbing Yami by the hand. "Okay, concentrate on getting out and back to Yugi, and don't let go."  
  
"Okay...," Yami replied, trying not to turn red. This was an interesting hallucination he was having. "Wh-" he started to say before Seto began the spell to get back and there was no time to say anything else.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Everyone was fidgeting as they wondered exactly what the hell Kaiba was doing.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
"This way!" Seto called, but as soon as the words left his mouth they were swallowed up by the fierce winds that swirled around the pair, threatening to break them apart.  
  
Pain coursed through Yami's body, strengthening with each step he took towards the supposed exit. It hurt. A lot. Whatever had brought Yami here in the first place wasn't going to give him up without a fight, even if it meant tearing the former pharaoh apart from the inside. The five thousand year-old spirit fell to his knees with a gasping cry as the pain became unbearable.  
  
Seto turned back and knelt next to Yami, trying to ignore the wind that was shrieking in an almost human way, telling them that it would be so much easier to go back so why didn't they just give up now?  
  
"We're almost there," he said into Yami's ear, hoping that the spiky-haired teen could hear him. "Come on, it's just a little further..." When there was no reply save for Yami curling up into a ball, Seto sighed and pulled the shorter teen to his feet, letting the crimson-eyed boy lean against his side. Slowly, the two made their way out of the darkness, Yami's every breath becoming more laborious as he tried not to collapse again. Gods, it hurt so much...  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Everyone blinked in unison as Yami gave a strangled cry and clung to Seto, burying his face in the other boy's shirt. Seto said nothing, simply holding him as he shook, trying to forget the pain. Getting through the barrier between his mind and the real world had been the hardest and most agonizing.  
  
A few minutes passed before Yami's brain decided to wake up and examine his surroundings. He was wrapped in someone's comforting arms, probably his aibou's. Of course, that would explain why he could see his aibou and the rest of their friends all sitting in a circle over there..  
  
Wait a second. If he could see everyone over there, then who was he sitting with?  
  
"I told you I wasn't a hallucination," a frighteningly familiar voice spoke somewhere above his head, the chest he was leaning against rumbling.  
  
Yami looked up and gaped numbly, not believing the sight before him.  
  
Seto twitched slightly as his pounding headache made itself known. What to do about it...sleep sounded like a pretty good option, actually...  
  
Yami continued to stare as he felt his brain shutting down; his entire thought process now consisted of "Ohmigod" and "I'm sitting in his LAP." Therefore, he was still out of it and didn't notice when Seto spoke again.  
  
"Tired. Sleep now," Seto announced in the manner of someone who is completely drunk but trying to convince everyone around them (and themselves) that they're sober damnit as he tucked Yami more securely in his arms and promptly fell asleep, his head resting on Yami's.  
  
Anzu began to giggle, which broke Yami out of his shock. "What?" he asked, then turned red as he deduced what she was laughing at. "It's not funny, now help!" he hissed, trying to squirm out of Seto's grip, to no avail. Seto *would* be a limpet when he slept, Yami reflected pissily.  
  
"I don't think I will," Anzu said, still giggling. "But that is so adorable!"  
  
Yami shot her a nasty look and attempted to free his arms with no success. Finally, Yami sighed and gave up, resigning himself to his fate. In his sleep, Seto pulled Yami a little closer.  
  
"I think I'm going to be sick," Jounochi said, then ducked. "I meant it in a good way!" he added hastily as Anzu's hand went through the space where his head had just recently been occupying.  
  
Yami scowled at both of them.  
  
Meanwhile, another five thousand year-old spirit was laughing his ass off in the back of another's mind.  
  
~ To be continued ~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~  
  
Saria: My explanation for Yami's behavior? He was feeling irritable, which was his right. I have no explanation for Seto, nor for the insanity of this chapter. Anyways, have I mentioned lately that this story gives me a headache? Because it does. I adore this story, but apparently the feeling is not mutual, as it refuses to give me any ideas. -_-;;;;;;; So, unless I get over my writer's block, you won't be seeing another chapter soon, or else it'll be pathetically short. Chances are you're going to see "Just One Little Shove at Jusenkyo..." finished before I get another chapter of this out. ~_~  
  
Saria-the-green-haired 


	6. Chapter Six

Warnings: The oddity that happens when I try to force my brain to write deserves a warning, I think... Minor character bashing by other characters; hey, it's their opinion...and some sap/fluff coming up. ^_^ Seto's being sweet for once, because I have to make up for him being a complete bastard in most of my other stories...and swearing, though I don't know if it really matters.  
  
Pairing: SetoxYami  
  
Disclaimer: The evil guy is mine, not that I particularly WANT him, mind you...the rest isn't mine though.  
  
Notes: I have the feeling that this story is going to go down the drain, as I'm not quite sure how exactly it's going to end up...and I TOLD you people that "Just One Little Shove at Jusenkyo..." would be finished before I wrote the next chapter, because this story is Not Behaving. -_- So, if I don't get any more inspiration (and if those other stories keep bugging me to write them), it is likely that this fic will go on (hopefully) temporary hiatus.  
  
Masaki-sama: :whines and bribes right back: =^^;;;=  
  
Blue: *heart* I'll try to make it the best I can. ^_^ (Oddly enough, this story has the most reviews per chapter, but I like it the least out of all my Yu-gi-oh stories.)  
  
Takefuji Yami-sama: ^_________^;;;;  
  
Jadej.j: :bounces happily at the nice people:  
  
Katarik: Good job! Though, the only reference I had in mind was the electric blue fairies...:awards ten points:  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~  
  
A Red Rose in Winter  
  
By Saria-the-green-haired  
  
~* Chapter Six: The morning after or I wonder if humans can die of embarrassment...? *~  
  
Seto realized, very vaguely, that something was amiss. First off, the sheets on the bed were rougher than the sheets on his. (He had long ago realized that there was another person sharing the bed, but had chalked it off to the remnants of his dream, which had been very nice but was very vague and blurry now) Secondly, there was sunlight on his face, and he NEVER slept with the curtains open. Third, there were people whispering in the background, which was something that did NOT happen at the Kaiba mansion. (While Mokuba often snuck in to wake him up, Mokuba was NEVER that quiet) Seto's sleep-fogged brain added these facts up and came to a conclusion: he wasn't in his room or in his bed. Therefore, he should discover whose room he was in.  
  
Slowly, Seto opened his eyes.  
  
"Sleep well, Kaiba?" that girl who was always spouting off at the mouth about friendship and puppies and kittens asked, not unkindly. She seemed to be repressing a smile.  
  
"I hope you weren't too uncomfortable, Kaiba-kun," Yugi said, violet eyes large and concerned.  
  
Seto blinked. What the hell was he doing waking up to see Yugi and his friends? He looked down, trying to figure it out and blinked again at seeing a head of multi-colored hair resting on his chest. So it hadn't been a dream...Gradually, his memories of the day before trickled back, like a stream thawing after winter. Oh right, Yami, who was looking very cute while asleep...(The brown-haired CEO was very aware that he had some sort of feelings for the Game King and that said Game King returned them at least partially, but hadn't had a chance to talk with Yami. Maybe now would be a good time to discuss things...)  
  
Seto was trying to think of a way to kick everyone else out of the room so he could have some peace and quiet when Anzu spoke again.  
  
"I'm sure you're still tired, so we'll go now, Kaiba," she said, smiling to herself as she left the room, dragging a protesting Jounochi behind her. The others decided to go of their own free will.  
  
Much better, Seto thought to himself as he stretched out on his side, pulling the still sleeping Yami a little closer. Seto smiled faintly as he looked at the sleeping pharaoh, his smile growing when Yami began to stir.  
  
Yami sighed a little as he awoke, snuggling closer to his pillow, which...was...moving...Okay, not a pillow then; a person. Probably aibou, Yami thought drowsily as he attempted to go back to sleep. Though, his aibou had suddenly gotten a hell of a lot buffer and broader in the chest...  
  
"Good morning to you too," an amused voice said from somewhere above him, just as Yami's brain realized the implications of his discovery. Not his aibou, and that voice sounded a lot like-shit.  
  
Yami's eyes shot open as he looked up at Seto, his memories of last night's occurrences coming back. "Um...," he said intelligently, feeling his cheeks heat up.  
  
"I didn't know you enjoyed my company so much," Seto said, smirking.  
  
"Ummmmm...," went Yami again before his brain gave him a sharp nudge and he realized that he was still cuddled up to Seto and sat up hastily. "Sorry about that," he muttered, looking away.  
  
"It's fine," Seto said, sitting up as well as he looked thoughtfully at the smaller boy, who was currently staring at the bedspread as though it was the most fascinating thing on Earth (or the Shadow Realm, for that matter). "Would you like to know what happened while you were...separated from the rest of the world?" he asked, assuming correctly that Yami wasn't going to speak soon.  
  
Yami looked at him uncertainly before his eyes darted back to back to the bedspread. "Sure," he said, still inspecting the patterned sheets.  
  
"But first," Seto added. "You tell me what happened to you."  
  
Yami scowled at him and opened his mouth to protest, but sighed. "Fine," he replied sullenly before recounting the tale of the voice, regaining his memories, the impenetrable darkness he had been imprisoned in, and everything in between. Seto sat quietly and listened to the tale. "Now it's your turn," Yami said when he had finished. "Tell me; what happened while I was gone?"  
  
And Seto told Yami everything that had happened from when the crimson-eyed boy had collapsed on his doorstep to when he had found the Game King inside his own soul (Yami smiled briefly when Seto described the homicidal plants), not leaving anything out, even his old teacher's spirit talking to him.  
  
"How much of your memories have you regained?" Yami asked when Seto stopped speaking, tilting his head to the side curiously.  
  
"Not much," Seto answered truthfully. "It's only a few things here and there...but I remember that I was once a pharaoh, as you were."  
  
"Yes," Yami said. "And...thank you," he mumbled, looking away again. "For saving me, I mean; I probably would have gone mad if I had remained there any longer."  
  
"It was no trouble," Seto said honestly, and Yami felt his heart leap at the sincerity and concern in those blue eyes when he met the cobalt gaze. "Do you know why whoever-it-is didn't kill you already?" Seto asked after a long silence. "I mean, he didn't kill you before because he wanted you to remember who he was or something like that, but when you did remember, he didn't kill you...who was he, anyways?"  
  
"He was the person that tried to use the Shadow Games to destroy the world in the first place," Yami replied. "Though, I think he was trying to use their power to take over the world originally and it got out of control...I'm afraid that he's rather upset that I sealed the Shadow Games away. As to why he didn't kill me, I think he wanted me to go insane first, or something of the sort, so that I would be in no condition to fight back when he struck," Yami said, shrugging. "It's likely that he will try to kill me again, but in a different method, as he can no longer trap me as he did before, now that my defenses are up. He may even succeed this time, as he's had five thousand years to plan his revenge-"  
  
"I won't let him hurt you," Seto said fiercely as he drew his former fellow pharaoh into a protective hug. "I won't!"  
  
Eyes wide, Yami stared up at him, a million thoughts flying through his mind. "Why?" he asked when he had regained control of his mouth.  
  
"Because I care about you," Seto answered, his eyes never leaving Yami's face as he gently brushed Yami's bangs out of the way. "I care too much about you to lose you to some five-thousand year-old sorcerer focused on revenge," he added before capturing Yami's lips in a sweet, chaste kiss.  
  
"I care about you too," Yami said quietly after the kiss ended, leaning his head on Seto's chest.  
  
"I'll kill him if he dares to lay a hand on you," Seto whispered, his grip tightening. "I think I'll kill him anyways, actually; I owe it to my people."  
  
"Just don't get yourself killed in the process," Yami responded, his eyes worried as he looked at Seto. "The enemy is swift and powerful, and you powers have barely awakened. There is not much we can do for now...unless-" Yami broke off, a frown creasing his brow as he thought.  
  
"Unless what?" Seto asked, feeling his old teacher perk up slightly too as they waited for Yami's response.  
  
"Long ago, his only weakness, and it wasn't a very large weakness at that, was silver, if I remember correctly," Yami said quietly. "But I do not know if it would still work now; if he has become stronger, it is likely that it will not affect him."  
  
"Silver...," Seto mused.  
  
Regardless of whether he's become stronger or not, silver would still be of help, Seto's old mentor said.  
  
How much of a help is the question..., Seto replied, still thinking. "I have an idea," he said finally before releasing Yami, getting off the bed, and digging around in the briefcase that he had brought with him. "Got it!" he said triumphantly before pulling out a laptop.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Yami asked curiously, hesitantly leaning over Seto's shoulder as Seto seated himself on the bed again and started the laptop up.  
  
"You'll see," Seto replied, absently pulling Yami into a one-armed hug as he watched the screen.  
  
Just as the laptop finished starting up, there was a knock at the door.  
  
"You awake, Kaiba-kun?" Yugi asked hesitantly from the hallway.  
  
"Yeah: come in," Seto called, his fingers flying across the keys.  
  
The door opened and the gang trooped in, most of them stopping dead (Anzu merely smiled) at the rather impossible sight of Yami leaning against Seto's shoulder and watching curiously as Seto typed, Seto hardly seeming to notice that one arm was wrapped around Yami's waist.  
  
"Uhhhhh...," Jounochi said, not believing his eyes. "Did we miss something while we were gone?" the blonde asked. The others nodded their agreement.  
  
Yami glanced up and jumped as he saw them. "Sort of...," he said, resisting the urge to hide.  
  
Seto ignored the rest of the room, still typing. Everyone watched as he finished typing, reached into a pocket, pulled out a cell phone and punched in a number.  
  
"Hello? This is Seto Kaiba. Yeah, I have something for you; you should have received my order already via your site...yes, I know it's an unusual request, but I'll pay you a fair amount if you do it for me. Yes, I'm *that* Seto Kaiba...when will you have it ready? Good. You'll get the check when I get the delivery," Seto said calmly, oblivious to the looks he was getting from the other occupants in the room. "It was nice doing business with you; good bye."  
  
"What did you order, Kaiba?" Bakura asked finally.  
  
"You'll see," Seto replied coolly, then looked at Bakura. "What does your yami remember about the person that tried to use the Shadow Games to take over the world back in Egypt?" he asked.  
  
Bakura relayed the question to his yami, who made a very rude and dismissive-sounding noise. "That he wasn't much," the white-haired boy said after a fruitless minute of trying to get a better answer.  
  
"What weaknesses does your yami know of?" Yami asked, leaning forward. "I only know of one: silver. Were there any others?"  
  
Everyone started visibly when Yami Bakura separated from his lighter side, smiling arrogantly at everyone. "The bastard may have shitloads of magic, but he sucks at hand-to-hand combat: his reflexes are next to none, and he's weaker than hell."  
  
"And how do you know this?" Seto asked, raising one eyebrow.  
  
Yami Bakura smirked. "I stole some of his stuff, and he wasn't pleased, naturally. To make a long story short, he attacked me, I whooped his ass, stole some more stuff, then left."  
  
"Why am I not surprised?" Anzu muttered under her breath.  
  
"Is that all you know?" Seto asked.  
  
"Maybe, maybe not," Yami Bakura said before disappearing into his Soul Room again.  
  
Everyone sweatdropped.  
  
"O...kay...," Honda said after a while. "What're we gonna do?"  
  
"We can't do anything until tomorrow," Seto said firmly, and everyone looked at him.  
  
"Why not?" Jounochi asked challengingly.  
  
"Because that's when my order's coming in," Seto replied. "Besides, we should at least come up with a plan."  
  
"Good point," Jounochi conceded, and the discussion began.  
  
Eventually, they decided on a plan that, while not foolproof, was the best they could do. They also agreed to meet the next morning at Seto's house (something that had taken quite a while to get Jounochi to agree to).  
  
"See you tomorrow," Seto said to Yami before pulling the Game King into a kiss. "Take care," he added, smirking as he walked out of the room.  
  
"What the hell?!" Jounochi yelled.  
  
"Spill, Yami," Anzu said, eyes twinkling.  
  
"Yeah!" Honda said.  
  
Yami grinned. "I don't think so," he said before disappearing into his Soul Room and locking the door securely.  
  
~* To be Continued *~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~  
  
Saria: :wonders what exactly her brain is thinking: I don't think this chapter was exactly up to par...Anyways...tell me what you thought and some ideas for the battle, if you wish. ^_^ Stupid plot bunnies...:whacks at the various series that are vying for her attention:  
  
@|---------- Saria-the-green-haired 


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